⛳️ Women’s Golf Makes Program History with Second-Straight NCAA Regional Selection

LAWRENCE, Kan. – For just the third time in program history and second-straight year, the Kansas women’s golf team has been selected as an at-large team for the NCAA Regional Championship in Cle Elum, Washington, announced via the GOLF Channel Wednesday afternoon.

For the first time in program history, the Jayhawks have earned their way into the NCAA Regional Championship in consecutive years.

Kansas enters the NCAA Regional as the No. 9 seed in the 12-team Cle Elum Regional and will play at Tumble Creek Club.

“This shows that we are ready to compete against the nation’s best,” said Kansas third-year head coach Lindsay Kuhle. “We’re very excited to play in Washington. We can play anywhere and have been all over the country trying to prepare for wherever we would be selected. (Tumble Creek) is a championship course and you can get any type of weather.”

The Cle Elum Regional consists of 1. Stanford; 2. Duke; 3. Arizona State; 4. Virginia; 5. San Jose State; 6. Washington; 7. Alabama; 8. Virginia Tech; 9. KANSAS; 10. Long Beach State; 11. Sacramento State and 12. Seattle.

Kansas has been selected as an at-large team for an NCAA Regional just two other times in program history, in 2014 and 2023. The 2014 team placed fifth at the NCAA Regional in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and advanced to the NCAA Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Last season, Kansas finished eighth in the Athens Regional.

Ranked No. 49 in the latest Spikemark Clippd rankings, Kansas has five Top 5 finishes in 2023-24, three of those being in the Top 3. In the third tournament of the spring season, Kansas won the Wisconsin Westbrook Invitational with a score of -43 for the program’s first team title since 2017. Also, at the Westbrook Invitational, the Jayhawks broke the 18-hole (-19), 36-hole (-30) and 54-hole (-43) program records. Junior captain Jordan Rothman finished second individually at the event with a score of 203 (-13), setting a new individual 54-hole program record.

“We’re experienced, tough and resilient and I think we will have a great performance because we are prepared,” Kuhle added. “We will continue to have fun and trust the work that we have put in all season. I have said all year that we are one of the best ball striking teams in the nation and I think this course will reward that.”

Through 11 events this season, Kansas has compiled a 288.26 scoring average and accumulated a 73-60-1 head-to-head record. At last weekend’s Big 12 Conference Championship, Kansas shot an 876 (+24) for the program’s lowest team score recorded in the league tournament. Sophomore Amy DeKock and junior Lauren Clark led the Jayhawks in scoring at the conference event, both finishing inside the Top 20.

Rothman co-leads Kansas in scoring for the year with a 71.83 per round average with six Top 20 finishes, including five Top 10’s, two Top 5’s and an individual title. Rothman’s win was the first for a Kansas individual in three years as she shot a 205 (-11) to win the Ron Moore Intercollegiate. DeKock is tied with Rothman in scoring average, also at 71.83. Although she has only competed in six rounds this season, DeKock was the top scorer at the 2024 Big 12 Championship (T12, +3). Junior transfer Lily Hirst carries a 72.23 scoring average for the season. Hirst has recorded seven rounds in the 60’s with six Top-20 finishes, three Top 10 and a Top 5 finish. Clark is next with a 72.80 scoring average. Along with Rothman and Hirst, Clark has competed in all 11 events and 30 rounds for Kansas. Clark has placed in the Top 20 six times and three times in the Top 10. Senior captain Hanna Hawks carries a 73.52 scoring average. Hawks has three Top-20 placements on the year. Freshman Lyla Louderbaugh competed in 10 events this season and averaged 73.96 strokes per round. Louderbaugh made history at the UNM Dick McGuire Invitational earlier this season, firing off a 5-under 67 in the second round for the lowest 18-hole score by a freshman in Kansas history. Junior Johanna Ebner averages 74.13 strokes per round through eight events this season.

Historically, prior to NCAA Regional play, KU was an NCAA Championship at-large selection after it won the 1990 the Big Eight Conference Tournament. Additionally, Kansas has had individuals compete in NCAA Regionals in 1993 (Holly Reynolds), 1994 (Holly Reynolds), 2006 (Amanda Costner), 2008 (Emily Powers), 2015 (Yupaporn Kawinpakorn) and 2016 (Pornvipa Sakdee and Yupaporn Kawinpakorn). Kawinpakorn and Sakdee were part of the 2014 team along with Thanuttra Boonraksasat, Minami Levonowich and Meghan Potee.

In just her third season at Kansas, Kuhle has the Jayhawks in the NCAA Regional for the third time in school history and in back-to-back seasons. This is Kuhle’s 21st NCAA Regional with 17 as a coach and four as a student-athlete at Tulane (2002-05).